Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes

Oct. 5 • Bogart's

Bruce Springsteen is the anointed Boss of
the anthemic Jersey Shore sound, but when Jon Bon Jovi credits the guy
who inspired him to sing like his life depended on it, he cites John
Lyon, better known as Southside Johnny, as his primary muse. That’s a
potent endorsement.

Although Southside Johnny’s musical
evolution followed a similar timeline and route as his Jersey
compatriot, Springsteen’s almost supernatural success seemed to trigger
Southside’s leap into the public consciousness. Most of Southside Johnny
and the Asbury Jukes’ 1976 debut, I Don’t Want to Go Home, was written individually or collectively by Springsteen and his guitarist Steven Van Zandt, who also produced the album.

That blueprint remained for the next two albums — 1977’s This Time It’s For Real and 1978’s Hearts of Stone, which Rolling Stone
named as one of the 100 greatest albums of the ‘70s — but somehow
Springsteen’s touch failed to elevate Southside and the Asbury Jukes.

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Bouncing from label to label and sound to sound, even drifting toward
Disco before returning to their R&B roots on 1986’s At Least We Got Shoes
— featuring songs by longtime Jukes collaborator/future Mrs.
Springsteen, Patti Scialfa — the Asbury Jukes earned a loyal cult
following but never quite broke through to mainstream success.

Over the past three decades, Southside
has released more than 30 studio and live albums; after 10 years without
a contract, he started his own label in 2001 and gained creative
control over his output, resulting in some of his best work, including
2008’s Grapefruit Moon, an album of Tom Waits covers done with
longtime Juke/Conan O’Brien bandmember Richie “La Bamba” Rosenberg, and
2010’s excellent Pills and Ammo.

Southside Johnny’s consistent touring has
grown his audience exponentially and his tenacity has kept him from
becoming a footnote in other people’s success stories. If you’ve got a
taste for a bracing Jersey R&B/Rock cocktail, the best bartender in
town just might be the undercover Boss.

SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY AND THE ASBURY JUKESplay Saturday, Oct. 5 at Bogart's in Corryville. Buy tickets, check out performance times and get venue details here.